DARE

{39}Cab

The cab kept driving through a bit of light traffic, but there wasn't enough to make them late.

Felix was slowly realizing that Marzia doesn't know about Jack and Mark, and every second he thought about it he became a bit more annoyed that he couldn't tell his girlfriend.

"None of my business," kept running through his mind to the point where he mumbled it aloud.

"What?" questioned Jack.

"I didn't say anything!" Felix squeaked.

Jack looked between Mark and Marzia, who both looked equally bewildered. Felix just sat there, still as a statue and trying not to spew out any words.

Jack looked to Mark and read his eyes, they both knew Felix desperately wanted to say something, it was pretty obvious. ...It was also obvious to Jack and Mark what that thing was.

Jack raised one eyebrow towards Mark who rolled his eyes, smiled, and nodded.

"What's going on..." said Marzia who was very confused.

Jack looked between them two and said with a chuckle, "You can tell her Felix." Mark blushed and covered his face with his hands as Felix excitedly jabbed his hands towards Mark and Jack and loudly blurted out, "Thing!"

"Wha..." Marzia said quietly, waiting for an explanation.

"Jesus you are not descriptive," Jack said through giggles.

"Fuck it... WE're together," Mark spoke up, waving his hand between himself and Jack, he was still blushing.

Jack turned his head slowly to Mark, raising both his eyebrows. "You said it!" Jack said happily.

Marzia was still very very confused so she said, "wait... wait... what? I- is this a joke...?"

"Nooooo," Felix said before Jack or Mark could. "They aren't kidding!"

"No we are not..." Mark said, smiling at Jack.

"But- how does that- what about Am- and at the panel? The- the dare was...." Marzia looked between the two men's red faces and said, "oh whatever... that's great!" She threw her arms a little in the air, almost bumping her hands into the car ceiling.

Mark was laughing at her reaction, but he was still embarrassed and leaning his head in his hand again. Jack reached over and rest his arm over Mark's shoulders while he laughed too, and Felix looked at Marzia like "see?"

Jack and Mark slowly stopped laughing but by the time they did Marzia had started talking to Felix and they quickly began their own conversation.

"So you said it! We're officially an item?" Jack said as he playfully nudged Mark.

"Well..." Mark kept his head hidden in his hands, "...doesn't it feel like we've been dating for years already? Just couldn't actually say it until now?" Mark said, lifting his head to look at Jack.

Jack was surprised about the word 'dating' coming out of Mark's mouth. "Th- that's exactly what I was thinking.." Jack said, sort of amazed at how well Mark described what he thought.

"Thank god," Mark said with relief, "I mean, it just feels so good to actually say that-" "we're dating," Jack finished his sentence as he slowly met Mark's gaze.

"Exactly," Mark said with a genuine smile.

"We're here!" The cab driver said, catching everyone's attention.

~they all paid him and got out, then headed into the Westin~

"So it was room ..B8?"

"Yes, Felix," Jack said, softly shaking his head in disappointment.

"Hey! I got it right.." "And I'm very proud of you," Marzia said sarcastically.

Felix laughed a little and said, "shut up..."

"I'm gonna use the bathroom before it starts," Mark said, tugging on Jack's sleeve, "meet you guys there." Mark looked over at the men's restroom not too far them. "Ima go too," Jack said, glancing at Mark looking confused about why Mark tugged him.

"Alright seeya there," Felix said, waving and starting to walk away. "Bye," Jack turned his attention back to Mark and said, "what's up?"

They started to walk together towards the bathroom. "I just want you to know.. I think we should avoid giving anything away," Mark said seriously.

"What do ya mean giving anything away... it's not like they'll know if we don't tell them."

Mark looked worried again as he pushed open the door into the empty bathroom, "Well I mean, we shouldn't make it obvious, I- Im still afraid of what they would say."

"Look, that's fine, we don't have to tell them yet," said Jack, although truthfully it did bother him that Mark cared so much what others think.

Mark seemed to be able to tell that Jack wasn't entirely happy about it so he said, "Are you sure that's okay?"

"Well... you mean after all that 'we're dating' stuff? You really want to intentionally keep on... hiding?" Jack continued.

Mark ran his fingers through his hair and quietly said, "Yah that's... exactly what I'm saying."